


The Key to His Heart

by Tamasha



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Based on Grey's Anatomy, Children, Doctor/Patient, Family, Feels, Gen, Hospitals, Modern Era, One Shot, Pre-Slash, Relationship(s), Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-14
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-20 18:00:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4796963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamasha/pseuds/Tamasha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is a doctor at a hospital who is working a shift when an earthquake hits his city. In the midst of all the chaos, he answers a call from a young girl who needs help to save her father. (Based on a story line in Grey's Anatomy season 11 episode 15, I Feel The Earth Move.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Key to His Heart

**Author's Note:**

> written by Natasha

After the earthquake, the ER became predictably chaotic.There were the usual cases that came in every day: heart attacks, car accidents, etc. But now there were all the traumas caused directly and indirectly by the earthquake. Arthur was needed everywhere at once, suddenly. He was prepared to deal with this, of course. This wasn’t his first busy day in the ER, but he found it hectic enough that he almost didn’t answer the phone when it rang. There were nurses running around everywhere, one of them could get it. The guilty thought that maybe none of the nurses would hear it kept him at the desk.

“Hello? Camelot Trauma Center,” he said distractedly into the handset. He was already mouthing instructions to Dr. Knight to check on bed 8 while he waited for an answer.

“Hi… is this the hospital? I need help.”

“Yes, this is the trauma center, though. You will need to call 911 for a medical emergency.” A nurse brought his the discharge papers for bed 2 and he skimmed through them, double checking everything before signing the bottom and handing the chart back.

“I called 911, but the line was busy. My dad really needs help. Please.” Arthur was only half listening at this point, also trying to read Leon’s lips as he attempted to convey something about the CT machine. After the “please” though, he froze, and all his attention reverted back to his primary conversation. He waved Dr. Knight away.

“I’m sorry, did you say your dad? How old are you?” Only now did he realize that the somewhat shaky voice on the phone had the high timbre of a child.

“I’m 11. My dad fell and he’s not moving. Can you help him?” Arthur cursed under his breath. “What?” the girl asked. He really wasn’t sure why he hadn’t noticed right away. She was holding herself together very well, but she was clearly terrified. And young.

“Nothing. Don’t worry,” he dismissed. Then, he took a deep breath. “Yes, I can help you. My name is Arthur. What’s your name?”

“Ruby,” she answered.

Arthur caught the eye of another nurse, Gwen. “All right, Ruby. Can you tell me where you and your dad are right now?”

Gwen finished with the lab tech she was talking to and moved to the desk Arthur stood at. “How can I help you, Dr. Pendragon?”

“We went to the cabin for the weekend. It’s… it’s in the mountains,” Ruby was saying. Arthur began to rub his temples with his free hand.

“Gwen, I need you to call 911 right now and report an emergency. See if they can trace the call on line three.” Gwen’s eyes widened, but she hurried to do as asked. She was a good nurse. Then, his attention shifted back to the problem at hand. “Okay. Don’t worry, Ruby. We’ll find you. Now, while we work on that, I need you to help me to see if we can find out what’s wrong with your dad. Can you do that?”

“Yeah,” her voice sounded pathetically small, but she was facing this more bravely than Arthur had seen most kids react in the hospital. “What do you need me to do?”

“Is your dad breathing, Ruby?” It was getting difficult to focus and hear her with all the commotion around the desk. Arthur began to look around and noticed that the office phone was free.

“I think so, but it sounds weird. Like… like he’s snoring.” Arthur nodded, taking a relieved breath in.

“Okay. Listen, Ruby, I am going to go to a quieter phone, so I can hear you better, all right?”

“O-okay, but please hurry.” Arthur transferred the call over without responding. He moved into the office and picked up there. “Hello?”

“Yes, Ruby, I’m here,” he reassured her. He was never great with kids, but Ruby was handling herself well, and he commended her for that. “Okay, is your dad lying on his side, or on his -”

“He’s on his back,” she interjected promptly.

“Good. Now, I need to hear his breathing. Can you hold the phone to his mouth, Ruby?” As she did so, Arthur listened and then continued to direct her. The call tracing took longer because Ruby only had a cellphone and no landline. In the meantime, Ruby’s father stopped breathing and Arthur decided to tensely walk her through performing a tracheotomy. If he didn’t do anything, the father would die. Ruby had been terrified, but she did it.

Eventually, the EMTs arrived at her cabin and they had to hang up. Ruby had been nervous again, so he made sure to meet her on the roof when the helicopter arrived. First, a man in a gurney was wheeled out and a few other doctors rushed to meet the EMTs. Arthur stood silently and a small shape climb out next. She landed on the ground with wide blue eyes, wild light brown hair, and ears that stuck out too far. She was skinny and her clothes looked like they had been bought from a thrift store.

Arthur summoned the most welcoming smile he knew. "Ruby?" he asked, and she ran and leaped into his arms.

 

~~~~

 

Hours later, Arthur found himself sitting in one of the waiting room chairs, Ruby curled up half in his lap. He was stroking her back absently when he heard, "Arthur?"

"Yeah, Ruby?" he responded softly. He had thought she was asleep.

"Is my dad going to die because of me?"

Arthur took in a sharp breath. "No! Ruby, no. You saved his life." Arthur closed his eyes as he spoke, hoping he wasn’t lying to this child about her father. He felt her small hands tighten around his scrubs.

"Then why isn't he awake yet?" It was pleading rather than demanding. She sat up and looked at him for an answer, but Arthur had none to give.

"Maybe he just needs more rest," Arthur said, opening his eyes again. He knew his answer was feeble. "Ruby, you did an amazing job today. You did the job of a doctor. You should be proud of yourself."

Ruby stared at him, maybe trying to determine his truthfulness. Then, she changed the subject abruptly. "My mom died when I was seven. I know I was still a little kid, but I remember it. At least I had Dad with me then, but it was still awful. If I lost Dad now, too... I'd be an orphan. What would I do, Arthur?"

Arthur pursed his lips, and then just gathered Ruby in his arms and pulled her close to his chest. "You don’t have to worry about that. Your dad will wake up," he promised. As soon as Ruby was asleep, or at least calmer, he would go and personally see to it that Mr. Emrys had the absolute best care they could provide. There wasn't much they could do until he woke up, but he had to wake up. Ruby needed him.

 

~~~~

 

Mr. Emrys did awaken a few hours later. Ruby went in to see him right away and she was delighted. Arthur watched the pair through the window, noting their similar ears and huge grins. It was contagious. He only watched for a moment, though, and then he went back to work. He had taken too long of a break to wait with Ruby and now he had to catch up.

It was already the next morning when he got a page to go to room 4331. This was not one of his patients, so he was confused until he checked in at the nurse's desk and found out whose room it was. He entered with a smile.

"Dr. Pendragon," the man greeted while Ruby shouted, "Arthur!"

Arthur chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed, and waved a hand, meeting the father’s eyes. "You can call me Arthur, since I am already on first name basis with your daughter." Mr. Emrys smiled that brilliant smile. Arthur also noticed that his eyes were exactly the same bright shade as Ruby’s.

"Then you call me Merlin," he responded. Arthur nodded and shook hands with him. "So, I hear I have you to thank for my life."

"Oh. I really didn't -"

"Ruby has been telling me all about how you helped her poke a straw into my throat."

Arthur’s eyes widened and he glanced briefly at Ruby, who just gave him an encouraging grin. He looked back at Merlin, her father, and steeled himself. "Sir -"

"Merlin."

"Merlin, if Ruby hadn’t taken action when she did, you might have died." He would have died, with an obstructed airway, but he chose not to put it that way in front of Ruby, who should just be focusing on the fact that her father was alive now.

"Oh, yes, I know. My doctor told me everything. I am very grateful for your help." He was still smiling, so maybe he was being honest. Still, Arthur felt wrong-footed.

"Well," he said. "It was really all your daughter’s work. She is the hero here."

At that, Merlin just laughed. Arthur's jaw tightened, but Ruby had a happy smile on still. "I know that; I'm sorry for laughing. The thing is, I've always known that Ruby is clever and talented and absolutely wonderful. But you... well, my doctor told me that not many would take the risk of instructing a child like you did, and I imagine he is correct. So I guess I am saying thank you for recognizing the same things in my daughter that I do." By the end of his speech, Merlin had grown very serious, though he still had a merry twinkle in his eyes.

Arthur sighed, relaxing. "Well, Ruby's a special girl. I'm sure anyone could see that." He offered her a smile and she stood up to come hug him. He hugged back, already comfortable with this child, for all that he was not even a hugging type.

"Arthur, will you come eat dinner with us sometime? Dad is getting discharged after lunch today." Ruby looked up at him expectantly. He shifted in surprise and then glanced at Merlin, who gave the slightest nod.

"We'd love to thank you for what you did."

"That's really not necessary, " Arthur said politely. Merlin rolled his eyes. Arthur was starting to understand this man's very blunt sense of humor. He let his lips quirk upward slightly.

"It would make Ruby very happy," Merlin told him.

"It would!" Ruby agreed enthusiastically. "Please, Arthur? I know you'll love my dad's cooking." And so began his friendship with the Emrys family.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I watched this episode of Grey's Anatomy and I thought the little girl Ruby looked sort of like Merlin. I also loved the way that Dr. Hunt (Arthur, in my fic) bonded with her, so I decided to write a story where this is just the first step to Arthur meeting Merlin. Obviously, in my head, the three eventually become a family. Any comments are welcome. Thanks!


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